Knoxville's Battlin' Madeline strikes back

Knoxville mayoral candidate Madeline "Mad Dog" Rogero has a press conference today at 3 p.m.

(it's probably going on about right now.)

She sent the Media a spin release, which she asked folks to embargo.

Until now.

So, here's Battlin' Madelin's prepared thoughts on the losing mayoral candidates endorsing her opponent Mark "Da' Plan" Padgett:

A few years ago, over at our County courthouse, a small group of political insiders tried to stage a coup, on a day we all know as “Black Wednesday.”

Earlier today, standing next to many of those same “Black Wednesday” insiders, my opponent put on a show that perfectly illustrates the contrast between us. He lined up a group of politicians and job-seekers on the steps of the County courthouse. Their appearance with him has almost nothing to do with who is the best choice for city mayor, and everything to do with the old-style insider politics of the County courthouse.

Sadly, my opponent’s stunt today has shown us that he is, in the end, a child of those same courthouse politics. But, Mark, let’s be clear: Though today is a Wednesday, there will never be a “Black Wednesday” here in our city.

We reject those politics. Our Knoxville conducts business in the open. His Knoxville makes deals in the back room. Our Knoxville takes humble pride in what all of us accomplish together. His Knoxville will arrogantly reserve power to the few. Our Knoxville looks forward to a bright future. His Knoxville wants to move backward to a dim past.

That Knoxville is over. Our Knoxville has already begun. Behind me is a great example of what enlightened and experienced leadership can accomplish.

For 30 years, the Three Rivers Market (TRM) operated out of a much smaller building on Broadway with limited parking as its sales revenue continued to grow, even during this recent recession. They desperately needed a larger location.

I proudly served as Bill Haslam’s Director of Community Development. Our department, working with the Partnership for Neighborhood Improvement, created the city’s business expansion revolving loan program that provided critical gap financing in the form of a business expansion loan. Working together, TRM was able to purchase this property and construct this beautiful building, making a $2.5 million investment in this community.

The result? Increased sales, and sales taxes, and a workforce that’s going to double.

My community development team also managed the city’s commercial façade improvement loan program. Look up and down Central Avenue and you will also see millions of dollars of new investment spurred by our public-private partnership.

In fact, this program alone has invested $3.5 million in Knoxville, resulting in $11.9 million in private sector investment, 260 new jobs, and over 400 construction jobs.

The TRM success story is one we can repeat all over Knoxville in the next four years, one we will repeat. Because our Knoxville knows that a productive partnership between business and government is already woven into the city. In Mark’s Knoxville, it’s just being discovered.

Effective economic development with a solid return on investment has been happening here, and will keep happening here. It takes a Mayor with experience to make it work, and I’ve been working on it for over 25 years. He’s been reading about it for maybe nine months. Business-government cooperation is not something Knoxville needs to be schooled on by Mark Padgett.

I think the choice between us is clear.

I intend to continue what we were so successful at during Mayor Haslam’s administration: making Knoxville greater. We listened, and together with neighborhoods and businesses we created the Downtown North Redevelopment Plan that is transforming this area.

I have the experience. Together we put together the vision. And the results are right in front of you.

As Mayor, I will never stop working to build our city, help bring good jobs and businesses here, strengthen our neighborhoods and improve our quality of life. That is my promise to the people of our city.